Blade Care Lifecycle - Need Some Help Please

[dreadpirate]

I have been a DE shaver for a little over 3 years now. I am JUST getting started in straight shaving.

SO - I know you are supposed to strop the blade before each use, and then hone the blade 2 or 3 times a year. When am I supposed to be using paste?? Is this applied in the cloth strop? Do I get a separate balsa wood hone?

So is the life cycle (1) strop (2) hone w/ paste (3) hone with a stone??

Any info from the experienced is appreciated.

 

[Wid]

There's no set time when a razor needs to be honed. A lot of variables come into play. Quality of the steel, your stropping technique, thickness of beard. You would use the pastes when you feel the blade has lost some of its sharpness. Ya got to catch it before it gets to bad or the pastes will be of little use.

 

[Munxcub]

If we call fully sharp, fresh form the honemeister your "full tank" of sharpness, if it get to like 2/3-3/4 of a tank, you can top it back up with the pastes and treated strops. If it gets below 1/2, or the pastes just aren't topping it back up to where you like, hit the stones for a fresh tank.

Your stropping and shaving technique will affect the "fuel efficiency" of your edge tank.

Hope that made sense. Heh.

 

[Thebigspendur]

Using paste isn't a step in some process. Some use it along with hones some use only paste and don't use hones and some use hones only.

You sharpen when needed not on a schedule. Many find pastes a simple inexpensive alternative however eventually you will need to use a hone.

Pastes can be applied to a strop either hanging or paddle or bench or many other things. Whatever works for you.

 

[schatz]

As mentioned above, many folks don't use pastes at all and rely on finishing hones for touch-ups. On the other hand, the pastes are easy, effective, and quick. For a new shaver, a bench strop is likely safer than a hanging strop for pastes as you will be less likely to roll the edge. Chromium Oxide on balsa or diamond spray on felt would be 2 good choices. I started out with diamond paste on leather which has a tendency of being a bit harsh. At some point, however, a razor which has seen a pasted strop over an extended period will have to make a visit to the hones as the pastes will eventually round the edge.